CHAPTER 2

"Honey.. are you there?" Mom called.
I kept quiet and ignored her.

After I went to my room, have been crying all day, trying to find what I can do to stop my parent's horrible plan.
I checked the time, and it was already 6 pm, and I couldn't find any solution to my problem. I sighed.

"Sweety please open the door..... I know you are mad at me, but please hear me out," mom pleaded.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, then sniffed.

"Reya..." Mom called desperately. 
I can sense in her voice that she was about to cry. 
I rolled my eyes and sluggishly walked up to the door and twisted the knob just to open it and let her say whatever she came here to say in order to let me sob in peace.

"What did u want?" I asked curtly.

I turned to walk back to my bed, and I felt a warm hand on my arm, wanted to flinch it away, but I decided not to play bad because I'm more than mad at my own parent now.
She turned me back to her so that I'm now facing her and I can see her eyes watering. I quickly diverted my eyes to my reading table to avoid her gaze.

"Reya..." She sighed. " I'm sorry about all this. We just want to give you a greater future " she sniffed.

She shut her eyes for a second before opening it back as if she is keeping something from me.
"I'm sorry but it's for your own benefit, I mean, is not that you've fallen in love with someone... " " Mom! " I cut her off.

" None of your business with my love life ok. I mean don't you get it? "I snotted.

" Oh no, "  my arms akimbo.

" So you just suddenly feel like you should find one for me or what? " I asked her raising my eyebrows at her.

She looked sad and down, but I'm not falling for that because this is about my own life they both decided to play with.

I'm 18 for Christ's sake and they decided to marry me off to one crazy 21 years old guy who is not even ready to get married. How did she expect me to cope, how did she expect me to just say yes to what will determine my future forever?

"I'm really disappointed mom". I croaked.
I wipe away the uninvited tears with my knuckle, then moved my hand to the door.

"Please can you go out of my room now," I said.
She ran out of the door clasping her hands in her mouth to stop her from crying aloud.

" But why is she doing this if she is not happy with it?" I asked my self.

I went to the edge of my bed to sit down and put my leg up from the floor to sit in a yoga style. I picked up my phone and dialed Dave's number.

"Reey" a deep voice said.

"Dave," I said in a very low and depressed tone.

"Reey are you ok?"

I can sense him sitting upright from his position. "Yh... I'm f... in.. e" I stammered.

" Reya...  I can sense in your voice that you are not ok, I mean tell me what's going on".He enquired.

" Dave....there is a big problem"

" Go straight to the problem and stop making me anxious" he snapped.

I choked back my tears. oh, Gosh Reya gets a grip on yourself.

" Mom and dad are getting me married" I gulped

" What!" He exclaimed

" They are planning my wedding with Daniel Anthony". I said while fighting back my tears, but it was useless doing that because the tears are running down my cheeks now.

He snotted." That's a joke Reey"

"Dave..is not a joke" I wailed

" I just wanna do something right now because I can take this anymore......

" Reya calms down" he cut me off. " We can find something to do ok" he sighed
" what do you think we can do now?" He asked.

I gulped" honestly, I don't know Dave. I'm planning on hum...." I bite my own lip.

" running away," I said more like a question.

He gasped " are you kidding me?. And you think that can stop your dad from looking for you. Reya you know how powerful your dad is, he can look for you anywhere at any time and you just think running away is the solution ... Reya" he hissed.

" Ok tell me what I can do then " I rolled my eyes.

He took a breath. " Let's look for another solution," he said.

" So what solution?" I asked. I don't really think Dave and I are going to find a solution to this because I know no matter what I do, my dad won't change his decision, his very stubborn and no one can change his mind.

"Pray". he replied

" What!" I exclaimed

Surprised right?. Dave his a Christian, not just only him, all his family are also Christians. His being blabbering about Jesus to me since secondary school, but I feel this is not necessary in life in as long am not doing anything bad, I guessed I'm ok with my life .

You can blame me, my parent are not religious people, all what they care is their business, so I wasn't brought up to know who I should serve or not, as long as I know there is someone up there that people pray to.

" Yes , I know God can help us you know" he said

I rolled my eyes knowing well that he can't see me , " you won't stop disturbing me with this your Jesus stuff. Please I'm not interested now ok" I hissed.

He sighed " ok, I won't talk about it if you say so". He said while muttering something I couldn't hear.

I rolled my eyes knowing he will surely talk about it again.
" So what do u think" I asked, rubbing my temple.

"I don't know " he muttered.
" That means I will go with the first option then" I said raising my eyebrows.

"hmmmm...hahaha wow that's the best option ever," he said sarcastically.

" Whatever " I muttered to myself.

" Dave wait" I whispered.

" I think I heard a noise coming from my parent room" I whispered. 
Climbing off the bed and walking slowly then,  poking my head out to see if anyone is in the hallway.
" I will call you back," he said.
I nod in response thinking he can see me which I later realized he cannot." Ok," I muttered out.

Getting closer to my parent room, I can hear them clearer now.

" You know what Christi, I don't want to hear anything concerning this marriage" I can sense anger in his voice.
" I'm just pleading with you to stop dear.....
" Shush" dad shushed her.

" Oh, this is how you want to repay me now right? With all have done for you and your daughter" dad said.
" Stop it Johnson" mom retorted.
" This is all you've been saying since all these days, ok do you know what? Do your worse, I don't care anymore" mom dared.

" Oh.." dad scoffed. " You want me to do my worse right ..ok, I will send both you and your daughter to the street and find your way to live the horrible life you were before I got married to you because this has to do with my business and I will do anything to make it stand".

" Wow," mum said sarcastically.

" I never knew have been living with a monster since all these years" mom gritted.

" Yes, I'm a monster" dad boomed.
" I'm a monster I agreed to marry you with your....useless daughter or whatever you brought to me, and have been paying her School fees and gave her everything she needs...just this one thing to do for me, you can't even convince her."

" But you told me you are going to make my daughter yours also" mom croaked.

"Collins, I can't believe you are doing this to her for business purpose, I thought you want the best for her but after finding out yesterday what all this about, you disappointed me" she spat.

I clasped my hand in my mouth to stop myself from crying and trying to release the breath that has been holding unknowingly.

" Just because I was so fooled by your deceitful words, I was stupid to think of you as someone else then " she started sobbing.

" Just listen to me, if you dare go against my wish and try to stop this wedding , I promise, I won't hesitate to do the worse in me. I will make you and your daughter homeless" dad threatened.

I can hear an heavy footsteps from the room, so I quickly ran back to my room to balanced my breathing.
I heard the door shut. That's when I was able to start breathing. I checked the time and it was 11pm. Right now, I don't really care. All I want is to go out of this house now not running away but to go somewhere I can shout and express all my pains.
Started breathing up and down to calm my self, I manage to control my self from the shock and everything I just heard.

"So he is not my dad..o gosh why is my life a mess" I said while rubbing my temple, pacing around my room.
I make my way downstairs, I try not to make noise so mom won't know. I managed to get to the gate of my house and bribed the gate man with some money before I make my way out to the beach around my area.
The beach is only about 20 minutes work. The beach has been my quite place since I was born.

I ran with all my strength, taking out all the pain and frustration.
I was exhausted when I got to the beach, I put both hands on my knees and started inhaling and exhaling heavily, open my mouth wide to get some gas.
The whole scene that happened at home played back on my head ... " No way" I managed to say out.

I know very well that my parents hate me since I was young cause they never give me any attention, my dad always ignored me anytime I asked for money, that's was the main reason I got pastime job and no one knows about that except Dave. All that they do is to pay my school fees. All this is just for their social status but now... "I sighed and shut my eyes to let the tears flow down". 
Now that I found out everything about my life ......." I fell down on my knees and move back to fall on the beach sand, I looked up to whoever is in heaven and cried it all out.

.......................

I heard the ocean sound and the water splashing on my body, then I felt the coldness of the water in my leg, that's when I realized where I slept. I opened my eyes to see the beach moving back and front, I rub my face with my palm to get a clearer vision of what I'm seeing. I look to the left and right and see that the beach was empty, moved my hands up and down to get my phone to check what time it is. Omg, I realized that I left my phone at the mansion that I called a prison. 

I slapped my forehead then shook my head at my own miserable life. I slowly move my palm to my face and I can feel the swollen on my face as a result of my helpless crying.

The thought of going back to the house makes my whole body trembled in fear.
I guessed have made my decision.

...................

Getting home, I saw my mom on the couch, reading the newspaper, pretended as if nothing happened last night. She crossed her legs on the center table with her spec on the rim of her nose and pushing her head forward as if she about to enter inside the book to see clearer.

I started making my way to the stair

" where have you been Reya," mom asked with a firm voice not looking at me.

How can she act so perfectly as if there was nothing last night, yes I know mom is good at hiding things since she can keep all this from me for 18years and now she can't even help me with this situation. My mom will rather get me married instead of being homeless, I can't believe her though. Ok...I know it's not easy.

"Reya answer I'm waiting "mom's voice brought back from my thoughts.

I stood straight and tilted my head a little bit " I went out to think about the decision you and dad made for yourself" I said looking straight into her eyes.

" Oh now you have the gut to disrespect me now right Reya," she asked in a rising tone. 
I scrunched my nose and positioned my hand in 'what did I do wrong 'style. Have I said anything wrong, why is she acting this way. 
Don't get me wrong, I don't hate my mom, was just so mad at her. She decided not to fight for my right and just keep all that to her self.

" Mom...I didn't mean it that way" I looked away from her, trying to hide the tears forming in my eyes. Have had enough trouble for one-day and I don't want any from her again, at least for today.

"Mom please ...I'm so tired and I really need to rest" I pleaded with her and she nodded her head in return. I know she not ready to argue.

I know she is really fighting within her, I can't see her like this anymore. I also know she is not trying but she is still my mother and I can understand some aspect of her life, but that's not still an excuse for her not to stand for me. 
I will have to do something to stop this. I can't believe dad has been blackmailing mom with all these money things, who said someone can't live without being rich? But what can I do now?. I sighed and laid down on my bed.
I heard a beep sound from my phone and I decided to check, putting my phone screen on I saw 20 missed call from Dave and a message, I decided to check the message.

" Reya...what is happening over there? 😒😒😒😒" 
I smiled when I saw the message.

I scoffed " you just watch, " I said smiling to myself.